Kiwis have turned to Trade Me to offload presents that missed the mark, with Santa not quite delivering the goods for many this Christmas.

Trade Me spokesperson Millie Silvester says by 9am on Boxing Day, 4,300 presents that didn't do the trick had been listed on the online marketplace including an empty Roses chocolates wrapper of ‘disappointment', a sterling silver bracelet given to someone who is allergic to sterling silver, and a 3D Llama mug.

Millie says the number of unwanted presents had skyrocketed following New Zealand's biggest gift giving day of the year.

'It's become a bit of a Kiwi tradition to jump on Trade Me on Boxing Day and check out, or list, the gifts that didn't make the cut. In 2021 we saw 70,000 searches for unwanted gifts on Boxing Day, and it's no surprise that this year isn't any different.”

Since the start of Christmas Day the site had already been flooded with over 8,000 searches for unwanted presents.

According to a recent Christmas survey with 2,500 participants, most Kiwis say they unwrap a dud every Christmas.

'Just over half (51 per cent) of Kiwis told us they typically receive at least one unwanted gift at Christmas, with five per cent of these receiving four or more prezzies they're not keen on.”

New Zealanders say reselling is sweet as

The survey also found that while there were some differing opinions when it came to onselling presents, on the whole, Kiwis feel pretty good about offloading unwanted gifts for cash.

"40 per cent of Aotearoa said they'd feel okay if they were to find out that an item they gifted to someone was onsold, and 7 per cent would actually be happy about it," says Millie.

'We reckon this comes down to our loved ones wanting us to get the most use out of the gifts they give us, even if that means trading it in for something that might be a better fit.”

Most Kiwis too polite to tell it how it is

When it comes to telling gift-givers how they really feel, most Kiwi won't admit they didn't get it right, with 69 per cent of respondents saying they would turn their frown upside down and pretend to like a gift they aren't too stoked about.

'16 per cent of New Zealanders would put on a brave face and find a use for an unwanted gift. 15 per cent of us would donate them to charity, and another 15 per cent would regift it.”

How to get a pretty penny for your presents

'If you're thinking about listing an unwanted Christmas gift on Trade Me, make sure to tick the ‘unwanted gift' box when you're listing your item onsite.

'A good backstory always goes down well, but if you're trying to keep your reselling on the down-low, avoid making your listing identifiable in case the giver is hunting for a bargain on Trade Me too," says Millie.